


In War We Are All Brothers

by trollmela



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies)
Genre: Gen, War of the Ring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-19
Updated: 2016-01-19
Packaged: 2018-05-15 00:25:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5764681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trollmela/pseuds/trollmela
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"In war we are all brothers."<br/>The Rohirrim are about to look death in the eye and their King demands what the elves are doing in this war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In War We Are All Brothers

**Author's Note:**

> This story is set in the movie verse on the night of the 7th to the 8th of March 3019 TA (the night Elrond gives Andúril to Aragorn at Dunharrow).

“Lord Elrond!”

The cloaked elf turned. “King Théoden,” he said and lifted the hood from his face. He was on his way back to his horse after handing Aragorn the reforged sword Andúril. There was a lot of work and preparation for the war which would be waiting for him in Rivendell.

Théoden hesitated. “It is said that your kind is blessed with foresight.”

He seemed uncomfortable, whether because he was speaking to an elf – even to a Rohirrim, a neighbour of the Golden Wood, a highly unusual occasion – or because he was asking this elf about something the Rohirrim typically regarded with suspicion.

Elrond nodded slowly. “That is true for some of us.” After a small pause he added: “I am one of them.”

“Then I would ask you: what know you of the future we ride to? Will we be victorious?”

“This war is decisive for all of the free peoples in Middle-earth and it could go either way,” Elrond enunciated carefully. “But, King Théoden Horse-lord, at times the sight is of little use.”

“How so?”

“I have seen many things in the millennia I have lived: I saw my brother die and the sight did not prevent it. I saw the king I loved fall, and knew of it beforehand, yet could not change it. If I told you, Théoden King, that this is to be your last ride, would you turn back?”

Théoden did not flinch. Maybe he felt it already in his heart that his time would come soon. He held Elrond’s gaze for a long time. Finally he answered: “No, I would not. But tell me, what do the elves while the men fight?”

Elrond did not take offense. “They fight in the north, like your Rohirrim, who did not come, do in their lands.”

“Yet if this world was to fall into darkness, the elves have another option: I hear they sail to the west, to a land where there is no death and no fear, where peace reigns and the lords of the world have their thrones.”

“Not all follow the call of the West. The Lady of the land Lothlórien, which you call Dwimordene, will not sail West, for she swore to see the fall of Sauron, and her husband, Lord Celeborn, was born in Middle-earth many ages past and he does not feel the pull for the sea. And more besides: there is Thranduil, King of Mirkwood, who too is of this land and would never yield to Sauron and his orcs. His son rides among your people. And while many of my own people leave for the West, that is true, many warriors remain behind. They fight in the north while you fight in the south, because for us, the war has already begun centuries ago. Fear not Théoden King, for you do not stand alone. And so I go now to lead my realm as you do yours. Farewell, Théoden King. We will not see each other again.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm in the process of moving old fics of mine from my livejournal to this archive. This one-shot is unbetaed (still) and I first posted it in 2011.


End file.
